More on big broadband plan

WORK will start next year on a multi million pound plan to provide superfast broadband Internet to properties most in need, says Notts County Council.

It is anticipated more than 90 per cent of eligible homes and businesses will have access to the service by 2015.

But the authority can not say whether properties currently losing out in parts of Shireoaks - which the Guardian featured last week - will be eligible.

“So far we’ve drawn up our detailed plan demonstrating the need for better broadband in Notts and secured £4.25m from the government to add to the money that we and all the districts and borough councils have already committed,” said a council spokesman.

“This money will go towards the estimated £17m cost of bringing superfast broadband to the county.”

If the council’s plan is approved by the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) framework, it will get going with an ‘open market review’ and procurement process.

A private sector partner will co-fund and install broadband infrastructure across the county from which residents and businesses can buy retail broadband services, choosing their packages.

But first, an ‘open market review’ will see if any telecoms companies already have definite plans to roll out new broadband services in the next three years. If so, the council can not fund upgrade work in that area.

And only postcode areas getting below two megabits per second would be eligable for an upgrade.

“We can’t say whether Shireoaks is likely to get superfast broadband funding until we’ve done the open market review,” said the spokesman.